London -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- A British man left paralyzed from the neck down by a catastrophic stroke seven years ago lost his High Court battle Thursday to gain a legal right to end his life when he chooses .

Tony Nicklinson 's condition means it is impossible for him to take his own life -- and he wants the legal right to have a doctor take his life without fear of prosecution .

Since he suffered the stroke in 2005 , the former rugby player , now 58 , has had to endure what is known as locked-in syndrome .

`` This means that most of my body is paralyzed but my mind is as it was before the stroke . All I can move is my head , and the stroke took away my power of speech . Now I talk to people with a perspex spelling board or a computer operated by my eye blinks , '' he told CNN in an interview in June .

But while expressing sympathy for his situation , the High Court ruled Thursday that such a significant change to the law -- involving overturning the ban on voluntary euthanasia -- would have to be decided by lawmakers .

The judges also rejected a similar challenge to the law brought by a second man suffering locked-in syndrome , named only as Martin .

`` The Court recognised that the cases raise profoundly difficult ethical , social and legal issues , but it judged that any change to the law must be a matter for Parliament to decide , '' a statement from the court said .

The ruling upset Nicklinson , who cried as his wife , Jane , told the waiting media that the family was `` bitterly disappointed '' and would file an appeal .

In the meantime , her husband will have to continue living as he is , or starve himself to death , she said .

In a statement given via his computer , Tony Nicklinson said : `` It 's not the result I was hoping for but it is n't entirely unexpected . Judges , like politicians , are happiest when they can avoid confronting the real issues and this judgement is not an exception to the rule .

`` I believe the legal team acting on my behalf is prepared to go all the way with this but unfortunately for me it means yet another period of physical discomfort , misery and mental anguish while we find out who controls my life -- me or the state . ''

His daughters , tweeting on his behalf Thursday , urged people to sign a petition via his Twitter account supporting his `` right to die with dignity . '' Within hours , more than 2,200 people had added their name .

Jane Nicklinson said the family did not intend to go to Switzerland , which has an assisted suicide law , because it was expensive and her husband did not think he should have to go overseas to die .

She and their two daughters fully support his battle in the British courts , which has already lasted several years .

Speaking to CNN in June , Jane Nicklinson described her husband before the stroke as a man who was the `` life and soul of the party , '' making his current severely restricted existence even harder to bear .

`` He was a big bloke , ex-rugby player , he worked hard but he played hard . He was full of life , great sense of humor , loved the sound of his own voice , '' she said .

And she said she wanted the judges to understand `` the injustice of it all , '' as they considered his case .

`` You or I could go out and take our lives at any time we want , whereas Tony , being the one who really needs that right , ca n't do this -- and he 's only asking for what everyone else has got really , his right to take his own life , he wants that given back to him , '' she said .

Before his stroke at age 51 , the couple lived a comfortable life in the United Arab Emirates and traveled extensively .

Tony Nicklinson was a senior manager with a Greek civil engineering contractor , a job he enjoyed , and was chairman of the local sports club .

Although he does not necessarily want to end his life straight away , he is frustrated by the indignity and tedium of his current condition , which has n't changed for seven years and which doctors say could continue for years .

`` Some people have in the past spoken to me in the loud , slow and deliberate tones normally reserved for the deaf or daft . I am neither , '' he said .

`` All too often , well-meaning able-bodied people just assume that if a person is so severely disabled that he needs assistance to commit suicide , he must automatically be unable to deal with such choice .

`` I say that where a person has the mental ability , he should have the choice of his own life or death . The only difference between you and me is my inability to take my own life . ''

Nicklinson has embraced Twitter as a way to communicate his views to the world and has more than 40,000 followers .

He describes himself , with wry humor , as a `` Twitter novice with locked-in syndrome dribbling his way to an uncertain future . ''

But asked if social networking service had made a difference to his quality of life , he said he views it `` as a means to an end , not an end in itself . Life is too painful for too many reasons for Twitter to make a significant difference . ''

Nicklinson does not believe it unfair to ask doctors to end life , one of the arguments against a change in the law , saying it is not uncommon for doctors to make such decisions already in the course of their career .

`` Doctors pledge to save life and to relieve suffering wherever possible . If it 's necessary to end a patient 's life to relieve someone 's suffering , tough . Doctors ca n't pick and choose which bits they will do and which bits they wo n't -- they signed up for the whole package , '' he said .

`` There is too much emphasis on saving life at all costs and not enough thought given by society to the quality of the life saved . I am not advocating that doctors make the life or death decision at the time but the patient should be given the option of assisted dying , if he requires help . ''

Lawyer Saimo Chahal , who is acting for Nicklinson , said ahead of Thursday 's ruling that it would involve a `` very significant change in the law '' since there is no legal precedent in the United Kingdom .

She said that Nicklinson would be devastated if the ruling went against him , but that he is a `` fighter '' who would want to carry on the legal battle against what he sees as discrimination on the grounds of disability .

The Ministry of Justice had opposed a change in the law .

CNN 's Nima Elbagir , Laura Smith-Spark , Erin McLaughlin and Dominique Van Heerden contributed to this report .

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NEW : Tony Nicklinson sets up a petition in support of his right-to-die case

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Nicklinson : Court ruling means yet more `` physical discomfort , misery and mental anguish ''

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The High Court says such a significant legal change is down to Parliament

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Nicklinson 's mind was unaffected , but most of his body is paralyzed after a stroke